reproach
[ ri-prohch ]
/ rɪˈproʊtʃ /
verb (used with object)
noun
Origin of reproach
1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English
reproche < Old French, derivative of
reprochier to reproach < Vulgar Latin
*repropiāre to bring back near, equivalent to Latin
re-
re- + Late Latin
-propiāre (derivative of Latin
prope near; see
approach); (v.) late Middle English
reprochen < Old French
reprochier
SYNONYMS FOR reproach
3
shame.
synonym study for reproach
1.
Reproach,
rebuke,
scold,
reprove imply calling one to account for something done or said.
Reproach is censure (often about personal matters, obligations, and the like) given with an attitude of faultfinding and some intention of shaming:
to reproach one for neglect.
Rebuke suggests sharp or stern reproof given usually formally or officially and approaching
reprimand in severity:
He rebuked him strongly for laxness in his accounts.
Scold suggests that censure is given at some length, harshly, and more or less abusively; it implies irritation, which may be with or without justification:
to scold a boy for jaywalking. A word of related meaning, but suggesting a milder or more kindly censure, often intended to correct the fault in question, is
reprove :
to reprove one for inattention.
historical usage of reproach
In English the noun
reproach is a derivative of the verb. The Middle English verb
reprochen, “to rebuke, reprove, censure,” comes from Middle French and Old French
reprochier “to recall something unpleasant to someone, blame.”
Reprochier comes from unattested Vulgar Latin
repropiāre “to bring close to, get in someone’s face, upbraid, reproach.”
Repropiāre is modeled on Late Latin
appropiāre “to approach” (with no sense of blame or rebuke), itself modeled on the Late Latin verb
propiāre “to draw near to, approach.”
Propiāre is formed from the adverb and preposition
prope “near, nearby, close.”
The phrase above reproach “not able to be blamed, faultless” first appeared in 1674; its variant beyond reproach is first recorded in 1702.
The phrase above reproach “not able to be blamed, faultless” first appeared in 1674; its variant beyond reproach is first recorded in 1702.
OTHER WORDS FROM reproach
Words nearby reproach
reprise,
repristinate,
reprivatize,
repro,
repro proof,
reproach,
reproachful,
reproachless,
reprobance,
reprobate,
reprobation
Example sentences from the Web for reproached
British Dictionary definitions for reproached
reproach
/ (rɪˈprəʊtʃ) /
verb (tr)
to impute blame to (a person) for an action or fault; rebuke
archaic
to bring disgrace or shame upon
noun
Derived forms of reproach
reproachable, adjective reproachableness, noun reproachably, adverb reproacher, nounWord Origin for reproach
C15: from Old French
reprochier, from Latin
re- +
prope near